Education crisis in South Africa: a Methodist response

[Steve Hayes]

Letter from the Presiding Bishop

Dear Bishops, Superintendents, Ministers, Societies and Organizational
Leaders:

RE: THE METHODIST RESPONSE TO THE EDUCATION CRISIS IN SOUTH AFRICA

I am deeply concerned about the state education in South Africa, especially
the recent events where schools did not have text books in Limpopo and
children were and some are still being denied schooling due to political
reasons in Northern Cape. While the system of education appears to be very
stable in the other countries in the Connexion, in South Africa the schooling
crisis has hit our children, including children of Methodist parents, the
hardest.

You will recall that Conference2011 expressed itself very strongly regarding
education which led to it (Education) being adopted as a fifth pillar.
Subsequently, I set up an Education Task Team to reflect on the state of
education and how the church needs to respond. The team will continue to work
on education issues and will advise me on possible approaches to be taken to
engage government, not only in addressing the crisis but to keep government
accountable. The team has come up with a preliminary framework for engaging in
education. The key elements identified were firstly, the issue of Sin, the
absence of Godly values accompanied by the lack of a strong prophetic witness
by the church. Furthermore, there is a need to recognise that the Church is
the only vehicle which can address moral issues and it needs to regain and
stamp its God given authority in this regard. It also appears that the Church
has sold its �birth right� in relation to education and it needs to earn it
back.

The challenges faced by the schooling system include: the closing of training
colleges; the actual education system and curricula as children cannot count
or read properly; South Africa teachers who are not well equipped and have too
many restrictions placed on them.

Some of the consequences identified included: low morale of scholars and
questionable moral fibre of some of the teachers; religious education that has
been replaced in our schools with a subject called Life Orientation which does
not provide any solid moral grounding; the lack of a three pronged approach to
education- for education to be holistic, it should be taking place at home, at
schools and the church; no books in schools which impacts negatively on
learning.

The Education Task Team has put forward the following possible actions which
the Church should address with government for reflection by us:

� The need for prayer in Education

� Establishing chaplaincies in schools

� Establishing more institutions of learning which may include
schools, colleges and possibility of even setting up a Methodist University

� Every child must receive quality education

� The restoration of a Godly presence in our schools which includes
the spiritual strengthening of Methodist teachers

� The re-introduction of 1st Sunday in February as Education Sunday

� Possible modes of interventions include: setting up reading rooms;
use of retired teachers; taking care of the needy children and the need to
address those who seem to stay �in the back of the queue� even after our
political liberation in 1994

� Possible quick wins proposed are: every teacher to be on time every
day; every teacher come prepared to teach no matter how experienced they may
be; all churches provide back-up regarding morality; that we as Methodists
start �doing� rather than merely just �existing� for our children.

It is my humble view that we as Methodists need to start engaging on these
matters. Please provide feedback on your thoughts. You may direct your
comments to; The Convenor of the Education Task Team, Rev Professor Stephen
Hendricks at stephen....@up.ac.za or fax to 012 354 2071.

God Bless you


Rev Ziphozihle Siwa
Presiding Bishop, MCSA
--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk